of croydon



H. WINDIBANK.

APPARATUS FOR THE ATTACHMENT 0F ELECTRIC WIRES T0 TERMINALS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21. 1916.

1,320,594. l'ntomvd Nov. 4, 1919.

UNITED STATES HENRY wmnrnaivx, or

TREGLOWN, TRADING AS L. TAYLOF. & 00.,

PATENT OFFICE.

CROYD ON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR TAYLOR OF LONDON, ENGLA To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WINDIBANK, a subject of the King of Great Britain and residing at Croydon, England, (whose post-oifice address is 29 Pemdevon road, Croydon, in the county of Surrey, England,) have invented certain new and useful Improved Apparatus for the Attachment of Electric Wires to Terminals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention consists in improved means for attaching electric wires to terminals, and has for its object to provide simple, and efiicient means whereby such wires can be quickly and effectively connected to the terminals and quickly removed therefrom, without the necessity of employing and manipulating the usual nuts by which such Wires have heretofore been secured to the terminals. The means according to this invention can be readily applied to existing terminals, the usual clamping nuts of which can be dispensed with.

he invention consists principally in a clip formed of suitable metal with spring action and adapted to be simply passed or terminal screw provided with any suitable means for easily connecting the electric wire to the clip. Further according to this invention the clip is preferably formed with parts or provided with means adapted to engage or interlock so that by a simple manipulation, as by pressing the parts by the finger and thumb, or y a simple action similar to the action of turning a key, or to the action of winding a clock, the clip is efectively tightened on the terminal and the said parts or means are caused to engage and thus form a catch for retaining the clip in' its tightened condition on the terminal.

Further according to this invention, in one embodiment thereof, the above mentioned clip consists of a piece of suitable spring or resilient wire-such for instance portion of which, intermediate the ends, is formed into a coil like a spiral spring, and to the straight or un- Specification 01' Letters Patent. Application filed December 21, 1918. Serial No,

Patented Nov. 4, 1919. 267,810.

coiled portion of the wire at one end of the coil a small tube or socket is attached for receiving the end of the conducting wire or wires, the other uncoiled or straight portion of the wire at the other end of the coil brain for a suitable part of its length from the en turned ,upwardly (or bent at or approximately at right angles to the straight portion) and suitably bent to form a catch which, by simple manipulation can be caused to engage with or against the aforesaid small tube thereby tightening the coil on the terminal screw or pin and at the same time maintaining it in its tightened condltion. Further by simple pressure of the thumb or or by a simple manipulation of the aforesaid upturned part of the wire 0 which the clip is formed the clip can be quickly disengaged from the small tube or Wire connector thereby loosening the coil on the terminal so that the clip with wire connector and electric wire attached thereto can as a whole be quickly "removed from theterminal screw by simply drawing the coil ofi the screw.

The invention further consists in a clip adapted to be easily and quickly applied to a terminal screw or pin, and part to which the electric conductor can be easily and quickly secured and means adapted to be quickly and easily manipulated so as to tighten the clip on the term1- nal screw, all substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompany: ing drawings.

In the drawings Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively a side elevation, an end elevation and a plan view of a clip comprising a wire connector and tightening means, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, an elevation and a plan of a king plug with the clip on the terminal screw and show the end of an electric wire or conductor secured to the clip.

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of an alternative construction of clip according to this invention, these fi'gures respectively shown the clip in its open and in its closed conch-- tion. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of this clip in its open condition.

Like reference numbers indicate corre- Sponding parts in the several figures of-the comprising a 1 is the hereinbefore mentioned coil of As shown the clip or coil forms a relasuitable wi -for instance piano wire coattively deep sleeve or collar adapted to emed with copper-the part 1 of the wire exbrace the terminal 6 for a substantial portending from one end of the coil a suitable tion,-as shown the major portion,-of its distance to receive the electric wire connector length and thus tends to elfective contact be- 70 2 which is secured to the part 1 in any suiting made between the clip and the terminal able manner; from the other end of the and also insures a more rigid attachment 0 coil the part 1 of the wire of which the coil the clip to the terminal. is made extends to a suitable distance from The clip, comprising the coil 1, is placed the coil. and is bent u wardly as at 1 this on the terminal screw 6 by bein simply 75 latter part being itse f bent laterally and passed over the end of the screw, an the clip suitably shaped, including the loop head 1 is tightened on the screw 6 by simply pressto form a catch. As clearly shown in Fi ing,-by means of the finger and thumb,

3 the parts 1 and 1 make a suitable ang e the parts 1 and 1*, 1 of the wire of wh1ch with each other so as to provide the desired the clips is made toward each other. with 30 spring action of the catch. Instead of the a turning action, similar to the action of angle shown in Fig. 3 the parts 1, 1 might, turning a key or the action of winding a in the open condition of the catch, lie at clock, until the head 1" has been passed, from right angles to each other. As clearly shown the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to the in Fi 2 the part 1 is bent laterally so as to opposite side of the connector 2, i. 0., to the 5 provi e a curved part or recess 1, adapted position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and the to take against or to partially embrace the curved or recessed part 1 of the catch conwire connector 2 when the clip is in its tacts with or partially embraces the side of closed or tightened condition as shown in the connector 2 with the head 1 extending Figpt.l 4 and 5. more or less across the connector 2; by this 90 e wire connector 2 as shown consists of action the coil or clip 1'is tightened on the a small tube or socket of suitable metal terminal screw 6 so as to effectively hold the adapted to receive the electric wire or conclip on the terminal, and to make efiective .ductor as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which 3 contact between the cli and the terminal.

is the stranded wire of the electric conductor For quickly removing t e clip 1 with wire 95 l this wire being passed into the tubular connector 2, so as to disconnect the electric connector 2 and suitabl secured therein, for conductor 3 from terminal 6, the catch 1", 1, instance by pressing t e metal of the con- 1, is disengaged from the connector 2 by a nector 2 tight on the wire 3 by means of a similar action to that above described ut pair of liers or by alblow from a hammer. in the reverse direction. 100 .As n a ditional security against the wire 3 Referring now to the alternative form of becoming detached from the connector 2 the clip shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawseveral wires of the stranded conductor 3 ings in this case the clip is made of a piece may be turned over the end of the connector or strip of suitable spring metal so formed 2 as shown at 3 Figs. 4 and 5. as to provide the loop sha ed end marked 105 In the example shown the connector 2 is 10 forming a sleeve or co lar adapted to made of a smal piece of suitable sheet metal, be passed on to the terminal screw or pin for instance copper, bent or otherwise suitso as to embrace same; the art 10 of the ably formed into a small tube one edge of clip is set outwardly so that it lies at a suitthe piece f metal being fi 1bent r t able an le to the straight part 11 on the end 110 form a tubular housing 5 for the part 1" of f hi i fixed, for instance by inching the wire of coil 1, the part of the connector or clamping a part 12 of suitab e metal 2 forming the housing 5 being slipped on '0 comprising a small tube or socket 13 adapted thesaid part 1' and prefera ly pressed 01? to receive the end of the electric wire or pinched tight on the wire 1 the end of which d t 14 is a catch, similar to a purse 115 y bent (We? the 6nd f the II- catch, pivoted at 15 on the straight part 11 nector 2, as clearly shown in the drawing and adapted to readily slip over or engage in order insure the connector 2 being the parts 10 and 11 when the part 10 1S retained 1n efiective connection with the pressed against the part 11.

P i i As shown in Fig. 8 that portion of the 120 6 is the usual terminal screw of the sparkstraight portion 11 of the clip on which mg plug shown In Figs. 4 and 5. the part 12 with socket 13 is mounted is 7 1s a small pointed tongue out in one side somewhat narrower than the part on which of the connector 2 and having its point bent the catch 14 is mounted. The art 12 with inwardly sothat when this tongue is pinched tube or socket 13 is preferalily made of 125 or pressed inwardly its point will enter or suitable soft or pliable metal, such for inengage the wires of the conductor 3. This stance as copper, so that when the end of tongue is, however, not essential for securing the electric wire is inserted in the tubular the conductor 3 in the connector 2 and part 13 the latter can be pressed or pinche may be dispensed with. tight on to the wire. 13

loop or collar 10 to' be passed on to the terminal screw 6 (Fig. 4), in order to tighten the clip on the terminal, and to maintain it in its tightened condition thereon, it is only necessary to press the part 10 up to the part 11 (or to ress these parts together) and to press down the catch 14 which Wlll tightlf embrace the parts and hold the clip in its closed condition. By simply raisin the catch 14 the clip is opened or loosene and can be quickly slipped off the terminal.

While the form or embodiment of my invention which I prefer is that hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the accompan ing drawings, I wish it to be distinct y understood that a terminal cli with wire connector attached and formed as or provided with parts formin a spring catch for tightening the clip on t e terminal might be made otherwise than as shown in the ac- Assuming the 'companying drawings without departing from my invention. at I claim as m to secure by Letters 1 fastening device,

invention and desire atent is I comprising a contractible tubular socket ada ted to' encircle an electric terminal, sai socket being formed of a helical coil of spring wire havprojecting arm atone end angle-shaped catch at the overlaps the said arm and which is adapted to be sprun back and forth from one side of it to t e other to operate the contractible socket, and means for connecting an electric wire to the said arm independently of the said catch.

2. A fastening device, comprising a contractible tubular socket adapted to encircle an electric terminal, said socket being formed of a helical coil of spring wire having a laterally projecting arm at one end and having an angle-shaped catch at the other end which overlaps the said arm and which is adapted to be sprung back and forth from one side of it to the other to operate the contractible socket, and a connectin device having two tubular portions one 0 which is secured over the said arm and the other adapted to be secured to an electric wire independently of the said catch.

Dated this 26th day of November, 1918.

In testimony whereof I afliximy signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY WIN DIBAN K.

Witnesses:

W. H. Lnwnns, I. G. ES

ing a laterally and having an other end which common in Letters Patent No. 1,320,594-

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,320,594, granted November 4, 1919;11pon the npplicetion of Henry Windibank, of Croydon, England, for an improvement in Apparatus for the Attachment of Electric Wires to Terminals, were erroneousl y issued to Arthur Taylor Treglown, trading as L. Taylor & 00., asowner of the entire interest in said invention, whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said Wind'ibank, and Arthur Taylor Trag- Zown, trading as L. Taylor cf: 00., jointly, said company being assignee of one-half interestonly in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in the Patent Ofiiee; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifiee. I

Signed and needed this 10th day of February, A. D., 1920.

M. H. COULST'ON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents 

